L aitken



'L. AITYKEN.

WEFT BEPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 1914.

.1 $07,994:. Patented June 24, 1919.

r 2 SHEET$SHEET 1.

unrrnn s'ra'rns PATENT OFFICE.

of the carrier, and partly by tipping of the i LEONARD AITKEN, or nnwnnnondiunssnonusnrms;

wnr'r-nnrnnivisrimefooivr.

eomeeai To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD A ITKEN, a citizen of the United States, and. resident of Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Weftdieplenishing Looms, of which the following is a specification. i U

The purpose of the present invention is to provide improved driving mechanism fora weft-replenishing loom in which the weav- .ing mechanism and weft-replenishing mechanism are operated alternately. The driving mechanisms hitherto used for;lo0ms of thiskind are not capable of transmitting, suflicient power when operating on r the heavier grades of fabric, such as heavy duck,

and the driving mechanism shown the I accompanying drawings andhereinafter dew scribed and claimed is designed andarranged to drive looms for the production ofubothl the lighter and heavier fabrics without slip of the friction drivingelementsa r Many weft-replenishing looms now in use have a shuttle-carrier for carrying the filled shuttles one by one from a shuttle maga Zine to the changeshuttle-box of the weaving mechanism, such carrier beingoperated by a change-shaft while the weavingmecln anism is at rest temporarily. It happens too frequently in such looms thatthe shut tles drop from their carrier intransit, or if they do not drop they'become disarranged on the carrier, with the resultthat they; fail a to take the necessary position in the shuttles box; This is caused partly byjerking action shuttlesupportingsurface as the carrier:

travels in an arc about a horizontalaxis; 5}

I use a sln1ttle-carrien a11d .change shaft to interchange the spent shuttle andaf spare filled shuttle, but, in order to LVOlClji3ll6jdIO1Qfi ping and disarranging above mentioned l. provide improved transmission mechanism;

that drives the change shaft so smoothly and.

evenly that the erking action of thecarrieri is eliminated. it I have found in practice that the jerking of the change shaft in these looms, as hitherto made, is 1116 Partlvto looseness of the inclined transmission shaft in its bearings, and that such looseness is due.

to inability to keep the shaft suitably lubricated. The jerking is also due partly to running the transmission shaft at a speed much faster than that of the crankshaft that opr q i bf t s P te t; Patented June 24:, 1919. Application filed. May 22, 191 1. Serial No. 840,239. i

crates the lay. The excessive speed of the transmissionshaft, compoundedwith the inabllity to keep it lubricated, ruins the bear the difficulties that have hitherto originated in theinclinedtransmission shaft are eliminated. f In conjunction with the gearing above mentioned I have introduced gearing that.;enables the loom toweave the heavier gradesyof..fabricfliwithout slipping of the power'beltalm i i Of if the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form in which the invention maybe embodied: r 1 r t r i .Eigurel represents an end elevation of the drive end of a weft-replenishing loom, the controlling elements of which are adjusted twl s r mc th P ,gFig B represents a top plan view of the mechanism includedin Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a sectional view of the structure intersected by line 3 3 of Fig. 6.

@Fig l; represents a horizontal section of theclutch mechanlsm which drives the weftreplenishing mechanism I 55 represents a section :through the structure intersected by line 5 -5of Fig. 4. -Figq6represents afront elevation, partly illusectiomoflthe structure shown by Fig; 4:. Thesame' reference characters indicate the same parts, wherever theyioccur. K 1

Ini loomspf the type herei before mentioned themain pulley is loosely mounted on the crankshaft that reciprocates the layyand a friction clutch is arranged to transmit rotation-directly from said pulley to the crankshaft. There isno speed reduction between the pulley .andathe crankshaft. One difiicultydue to such arrangement ofjthe clutch is, ithatfit slips when the loom is used for weaving the heavier fabrics, and another difficulty is that the fly-wheel effect ofthe pulley is not sufficient for the requirements of the weft-replenishing mechanism. ,It is a i fact, recognized by all builders and ,users oft weftsreplenishing looms, that the ,Wefta .sity, crude in comparison to the average machine used in other arts. According to my present invention the driving mechanism for weaving, and that for operating the so calledchange shaft, are reorganized and slightly amplified (back-gearing being added), with the result that the capacity for weaving the heavier fabrics is increased and the weft replenishing mechanism is caused to operate without the jerking motions that have, hitherto, caused miscarriage and dropping of the shuttles. y

In my present application I use a friction clutch of the same type and size as heretofore, but instead of arranging this clutch upon the 'cran'kshaft 'I arrange it upon a countershaft and connect it with the crankshaft by gearing which gives the friction clutchthe advantageof leverage. This arrangement enables the friction clutch to overcome greater mechanical resistance; and in order to maintainthe desired running speed of the loom I increase the angular velocity of the pulley sufiiciently to offset the speed loss due to the reduction gearing. In addition to making the'loom ca- 30' pable of weaving heavier fabrics, this new arrangement causes the weft-replenishmg mechanism in particular to operate more smoothly, the pulley acting as a fiywheeland I rotating at-greater' angular velocity than hitherto." According to the proportions which I have illustrated, the angular velocity of the pulley is twice as great as that of the crankshaft; but this ratio may be varied according to conditions.

In the looms of the type above mentioned the eft-replenishing mechanism includes a cam shaft, commonly termed the change shaft, and a clutch for driving the same. Suitable clutch-controlling .mechanism is provided for causing the cam-shaft clutch to remain disconnected so long as the main clutch is connected, and vice versa, to the end that the weft-replenishing mechanism p can operate only when the weaving mechamsm 1s at rest, and the weavlng mechanlsm can operate only when the weft-replenishing mechanism is at rest. 'The driving element of the'cam-shaft clutch is, however, continuously driven through a transmission shaft. makes twice as ;many revolutions as the crankshaft,in looms as hitherto made, although it is called into service only about one per cent. of the time during which the loom is working. Its excessiverotation and wear in its bearmgs'cause 1t to become loose prematurely, and the jerking due to such looseness and the consequent imperfect meshingof the gears affect the shuttle carrier so that the shuttlesare toofrequently This shaft, rotating continuously,

dropped. This increases the idle period of the loom, and calls for an attendant to restore the loom to running condition.

My present invention reduces the speed of the transmission shaft to about one-sixth of the speed of the crankshaft, notwithstanding the doubled speed of the driving pulley, and thus eliminates the aforesaid cause of dropping the shuttles from the shuttle carrier. The transmission shaft is driven by the pulley independently of the friction clutch that drives the Weaving mechanism. I also employ a clutch for driving the cam shaft of the weft-replenishing mechanism, and the driving member thereof is continuously driven by the transmission shaft.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,one of the two main frame members of the loom is indicated at 10, and the crankshaft which reciprocates the lay is indicated at 11. A gear 12 affixed to the crankshaft meshes with a gear 13 aflixed to a countershaft 14. In the present instance the diameter of the gear 12 is twice as great as that of the gear 13; but this ratio may be varied and still be within the scope of the present invention provided the gearing is such as to make the angular velocity of the crankshaft less than that of the countershaft. 15 indicates the driven element of a friction clutch, and 16 indicates the driving element. A layer 17 of suitable friction material such as leather is interposed between members 15 and 16. The member 16 in the present instance is a pulley and is in tended to be driven by a belt 18. The pulley is loosely mounted upon the shaft 14 and the driving'engagement as between the clutch members is effected by pressing the member 16 axially toward the member 15. When such pressure is relieved the clutch members are free from each other. The clutch operating mechanism includes a collar 19 and a shipper 20. The collar is loosely mounted upon the hub of the pulley 16 and is arranged to press axially against a shoulder 16 of said hub, for the purpose of setting the clutch. Radial studs2l aflixed to the collar engage the shipper 20, which is forked at 22 for this purpose. The shipper is in the form of a lever and its fulcrum is indicated at 23. A' rod 24: connects the shipper with a lever 25 whose fulcrum is indicated at 26. A link 27 connects the lever 25 with a manually operative lever 28 which has a handle 29. This lever is aflixed to a rockshaft 80 which extends throughout substantially the entire width of the loom and which is arranged under the 'breastbeam (not shown). When the handle 29 is moved forwardly, or to the left with reference to Fig.

1, it moves the clutch member 16 toward the clutch member 15 to effect driving connection. The pivot stud 31 which connects the link 27 and lever 28 is arranged to cross the line which intersects the axis of rockshaft 30 land the axis of stud 82 which connects operated manually under certain conditions,

it is also intended to beoperated mechania cally in accordance with well-known practice, to set the main clutch for driving the weaving mechanism upon the completion of each weft-replenishing operation. a a a l a The cam shaft forthe purposesof'the present invention is a sufficient representation of the weft-replenishing mechanism. My present invention does not dealwvith any specific form or details of weft-replen ishing mechanism, but deals ratherwwith the driving mechanism therefor and thefdriving mechanlsm which drives the weavlng Inech-Q anism.

The clutch that controls the weft-replenishing mechanism isshown best by Figs. 4 5 and6, and itslocation relatively. to other parts of the loom is shown loy Fig. 2. A sleeve 41 is loosely mounted upon thecama shaft. This sleeve is provided with a disk.

42 which acts as the. driving inemhenofthe camshaft clutch. This disk has formed in it a circular series of holes .43-as many as may he desired, provided fisuflicient stock is left between them to sustain the lo ad. T'he "driven element of this clutch comprises a disk 44 and a dog 45 movahly mountedthereon. The dog is formed upon a lever46i which has an opening occupied loy thehuh47 of the disk. A pivotpin 48 connects thelever and huh. The dog 45 isarranged to occupy any one of the holes 43 with which it may register. lever 46 coacts with suitable controlling means, hereinafter described, to withdraw the dog 45 from the disk 42. lVhenthetailpiece 49 is released, as will he understood after further description, the dog 45 is moved to one of the holes 43 in consequence of the action of. the spring 50, said spring loeing carried by the disk 44. The disk is provided with a notch the sides of which are" arranged to engage the dog 45 tobrace the same when the clutch isconnected.

The sleeve 41 carries a bevel gear51 which is driven by a bevel gear 52. Gear 52 is affixed to a shaft 53. A spiral gear 54 affixed to shaft 53 is driven at comparatively slow speed by a continuously driven worm 55 afiixed to the hulo of the pulley 16.

Suitable transmission means capable of slipping is interposed between the bevel gear 51 and the sleeve 41, as a safeguard to prevent damage to any of the parts in case the operation of the weft-replenishing mecha- A tailpiece 49 formed upon the nism is prevented by any irregularity such as the dlsarrangement of a shuttle. The

1 gear. 51 is rotatable with relation to the sleeve 41 when the rotation of the sleeve is prevented as alcove suggested. The sleeve 1s provided with a disk 56 and a layer 57 of suitable friction material is interposed betweenthis disk and the hack of the gear. The gearis held against the layer 57 by a plurality of keepers 58, eachof which has akhead 59. The gear is formedwith con. tinuous circular grooves 60 of T-shaped cross section. 1 The heads 59 of the keepers are arranged in said grooves, and the shanks ofthe keepers extend through the layer 57 and throughithe disk 56 and are provided with nuts :61. Each keeper has a helical compression spring 62. whereloy the gear 51 is held in driving engagement with the friction material 57. The degree of pressure as between the gear 51 and friction :material 57 may he variedhy adjustingthe nuts 61 and springs 62. 1 a l The mechanlsm for controlling the weftreplenishing mechanism. is designed to per-l mit the camshaft 4O tom a ke one revolution andthengdisconnect theclutch which drives said shaft. For this purposeaknock-off de vice 63 is provided, this device beingarranged to coact; with the tailpiece 49 of the. clutchvlever 46*. Thelmoclrofli is arranged upona pivot stud 64, said{ pivot stud lbeing shown by "Fig. 1 6 as lacing supported by a bracket 65, the loracket heing shown as be- .ing] aflixed to the framememloer 10. One

end bfa link 66is pivotally connected at 67 totheknock-ofl' device, and the other end of said linkis connected'to the lower end of arod 68. This rod eXtendsloosely through thefree end ofjalrarni 69 (Figs. 1 and 2) This harm is aflixedto a rockshaft 70. head orcollaril aflixedtothe rod 68 is ar ranged to heengaged and liftedhythe free end of thearm 69. Tglie rockshaft 706s in? tended to be operated hy well-known feeler mech aiiisnr which is arranged to proj ectl into the shuttle when the lay is forward; to engage the filling whichiremai'ns upon the bola} loin in the shuttle. *Ihave not attempted to 1 illustrate the feeler mechanism other than to roekshaft 70 is actuated when the filling on a Referring to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the link 66 is provided with a shoulder 73 and that this shoulder is caught on an abutment 74. The effectof lifting the rod 68 as described is to disengage the shoulder 7 3 from the abutment 7 4:, thus releasing the tailpiece 49 so that the dog 45 may be moved into one of the holes4l3 by the spring 50. As the disk 42 is driven continuously, the cam shaft 40will begin to rotate as soonas the dog a5 has entered one of the holes 43. The setting of the clutch for driving the Weft-replenishing mechanism is attended by the releasing of the clutch which drives the weaving mechanism, the actuation of the rockshaft 70in consequence of filling exhaustion causing movement of the starting lever 28 to the rear, through suitable connections well known but not shown.

I claim: 1 1, In a weft-replenishing loom, in combination, weaving mechanism and weft-replenishing mechanism arranged 'to operate alternately, said weft-replenishing mechanism including a weft-replenishing shaft, a transmission shaft, a continuouslydriven pulley, speed-reducing gearing arranged to transmit rotation from said pulley to said transmission shaft, and means arranged ,to transmit rotation from said transmission shaft to said weft-replenishing shaft.

, 2. In a weft-replenishing 100m, in c0mbination, a'crankshaft .for reciprocating the lay, a'frietioneluteh, reducing gearing arranged to transmit rotation from the driven member of said clutch to said crankshaft, a

shaft for operating the weft-replenishing mechanism, a transmission shaft, reducing gearing arranged to transmit rotation from the driving member of said clutch to said transmission shaft, and gearing arranged to transmit rotation from said transmission shaft to said Weft replenishing shaft.

3. In a weft-replenishing loom, in combination,-a driving pulley, a Weft-replenishing shaft, a transmission shaft, a Worm arranged to be driven by said pulley, a worm gear afiixed to said transmission shaft and arranged :to be driven by said Worm, whereby the speed of said transmission shaft is reduced, and means arranged to transmit rotation from said transmission shaft to said weft-replenishing shaft.

4. In a weft-replenishing loom, in combination, weaving mechanism and weft-replenishing mechanism arranged to operate alternately, a continuously driven pulley, speed-reducing gearing arranged to transmit rotation from said pulley to said weaving mechanism, said weft-replenishing meehanlsm including a weft-replenish1ng shaft, a rotatable transmission member, speed-reducing gearing arranged to transmit rotation from said pulley to said transmission member, and means arranged to transmit rotation from said member to said Weft-replenishing shaft.

5. In a weft-replenishing loom, in combination, a crankshaft for reciprocating the lay, a driving pulley, means, including a friction clutch and speed-reducing gears, ar-

ranged to transmit rotation from said pulley,

to said crankshaft, a weft-replenishing shaft, a transmission shaft, gearing arranged to transmit rotation from said transmission shaft to said weft-replenishing shaft, and gearing. arranged to transmit rotation from said pulley to said transmission shaft, the latter said gearin being arranged to reduce the speed of said transmission shaft to amplify the fly-wheel effect of said pulley upon the latter.

6. I11 a weft-replenishingloom, in combination, a crankshaft for reciprocating the lay, a pulley, disconnectiblemeans arranged to transmit rotation from said pulley to said crankshaft, a weft-replenishing shaft, a transmission shaft, means arranged to transmit rotation from said transmission shaft to said weft-replenishing shaft, and speedreducing gearing arranged to transmit rotation from said pulley to said transmission shaft.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LEONARD AITKEN.

Witnesses TM. A. BoUn'LL, H. CHRISTOPHER CHUBB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- 1 Washington, D. 0'. a 

